FORT HALL — David Hooste was sworn-in Monday morning as a Tribal Court Judge at the Justice Center in Fort Hall.
Judge Marina Race Horse swore Hooste into his office.
Hooste has entered into an open contract to be a specialty judge dealing with domestic abuse cases. He will be reviewing protection orders, doing protection order hearings and handling domestic criminal cases.
Hooste started work as a judge immediately after being sworn in. His first case is one from which all other judges in the Fort Hall jurisdiction have recused themselves.

FORT HALL — David Hooste was sworn-in Monday morning as a Tribal Court Judge at the Justice Center in Fort Hall.
Judge Marina Race Horse swore Hooste into his office.
Hooste has entered into an open contract to be a specialty judge dealing with domestic abuse cases. He will be reviewing protection orders, doing protection order hearings and handling domestic criminal cases.
Hooste started work as a judge immediately after being sworn in. His first case is one from which all other judges in the Fort Hall jurisdiction have recused themselves.
Hooste is an attorney with the EchoHawk Law Offices in Pocatello, a position he accepted in August 2010.
Before working with the EchoHawk Law Offices, Hooste was the Bingham County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney.
In his county position, Hooste worked on domestic violence cases for five years. He also received training in domestic violence and abuse situations and was part of the Bingham County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coordinated Community Response Team.
In his new position, Hooste will continue his work with the EchoHawk Law Offices.
"I will watch my cases so I am able to recuse myself if there is a conflict," Hooste said.
The specialty judge position is funded by a 2009 grant from the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) from the US Department of Justice.
The Shoshone-Bannock tribes were awarded $500,000 to furnish, stock, maintain and staff a women's shelter; to provide transitional assistance to victims of domestic violence; and to contract for a judge that specializes in domestic violence cases to be available as needed in Tribal Court.